Guidance Note | Primary Prevention of Family Separation

In 2021, the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action published the Primary Prevention Framework for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (the Framework). This was developed due to the recognition that whilst there has been significant progress regarding response to harm against children, less emphasis has been placed on preventing abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation of children. The aim of the Framework is to provide guidance for humanitarian workers on the key actions and considerations to apply when developing or implementing programming to prevent harm to children in humanitarian settings “at the population-level”.

Similarly, guidance on primary prevention of family separation is lacking. Whilst the Field Handbook and Toolkit on UASC include some information on population level approaches, particularly through ‘child protection systems strengthening’, there has been significant progress on defining and developing guidance on primary prevention in humanitarian settings since their publication.

The purpose of the Guidance Note is to fill this gap by linking the purpose, concept and principles of primary prevention to prevention of family separation. Key elements for primary prevention of family separation in the programme cycle will be described with examples and references to existing relevant contents of the Field Handbook and Toolkit on UASC.